How to pick the best high heels to use as a weapon

“A woman should be able to defend herself, regardless of the shoe she is wearing,” said Avital Zeisler, a 26-year-old former ballet dancer that teaches a “Stilettos and Self-Defence” class in New York City.

The class teaches women both how to defend themselves while wearing heels, and how to use them as weapons.

While she says she’ll never give up on wearing heels, she does have a particular way of selecting a pair.

Comfort

Moderate heel height

A thicker heel

A flexible arch

When trying them on in a store, she suggests sneaking in a few kicks, pivots, and a survival stance when no one is looking.

Find out more about the Soteria Method, Zeisler’s own approach to self-defence, here.